Make the Call: One More
by BregoBeauty
Summary: Sequel to Make the Call -- Jackson and Lisa's rocky relationship is threatened by her sudden disappearance. Now Jackson is drawn back into a world of deciet and murder. JxL.
1. Chapter One: Home?

**One More**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything related to _Red Eye_!

**Summary:** Sequel to _Make the Call_ Jackson's failure is still fresh, but now he has Lisa in his life. Together they are trying to rebuild their lives. But when Lisa vanishes, Jackson is forced to return to his roots in an effort to save the one person that he's ever loved. But in a world of deceit, where is someone to turn? JxL.

**Chapter One: Home?**

"Well, what do you think?" Jackson Rippner asked as he lifted his hands.

Lisa Reisert opened her sparkling green eyes and gasped. She was standing inside her late father's recently renovated home. Following his untimely death, Jackson had taken on the task of completing the remodeling of the Miami house.

For the past few months, Lisa and Jackson had been living together in an apartment that she had lived in by herself for the last five years. She had been the one to convince him that a hotel room was not a home—otherwise; he would still be living in the room where she had tracked him down to on that stormy day.

When her parents had begun squabbling on a regular basis over just about anything—ranging from bills to what Lisa should do with her life—she had decided to move out and into her own place. Three years ago, the divorce had been finalized and her mother had moved back to Texas to be near Lisa's grandmother.

Lisa had not visited her mother since a quick trip to Texas had been required to attend Grandma Henrietta's funeral. It was on that fateful red-eye flight home that she had met Jackson. Together they had gone against his employers to stop an assassination that he had painstakingly planned. In process of saving Charles Keefe and his family, they had unwittingly lost her father's life.

Losing Joe Reisert was their punishment for disobeying Jackson's orders. His death still haunted her to this day. It had been after his funeral that she had fled back to Jackson after sending him away.

Together, Jackson and Lisa were healing. Now they were home.

"I love it, Jackson. It's just how he would have wanted it," Lisa responded with a sad smile.

He returned her smile and wrapped his arms around her in a comforting embrace. He had been the one to support her through the trials of last few months. She would have fallen apart if he had not been there to pick up the pieces of her shattered heart.

They both blamed themselves for what happened. However, his death had been beyond their control. Neither of them had anyway of knowing that the hit man would be alerted as soon as he was and that Joe would be dead before they even reached his house.

"If I could, I would change what happened that day. I'd do anything…" Jackson whispered to her.

"I know. I know…"

"I'm sorry Lisa."

"Don't be. I begged for your help. If I had only followed the plan, then he'd still be alive," she murmured, tears falling onto his shirt.

"Ssh, Leese. Don't think like that. We have to stop second guessing ourselves. We have to move forward. He would want that."

"How would you know? You never even met him!" cried Lisa, distraught as she pushed him harshly away from her.

_I'm not ready for a relationship. I can't handle this. I can't…_

"What is it that you want from me? I can't bring him back, Lisa, or else I already would have! What do you want!" Jackson yelled angrily. He had grown more patient with her, but there were still times when he lost his temper.

"I don't know! I don't know…" she sobbed, sliding down towards the floor. "I'm just so confused."

"Leese, I didn't mean to yell at you. I'm sorry."

"It's too late." Lisa shook her head at him. "It's too late for apologies now, Jack!"

She saw him flinch at the shorten version of his name. It never failed to remind him of his past and of what he had done until she fought back.

"Lisa! Wait!" he called after her.

Lisa ignored him and stalked back to the front door. She picked up her purse from the end table that he had placed it on and opened the door.

"Lisa!"

She quickened her pace to the car. Technically, it was Jackson's car, but none of that mattered at the moment. She just had to get away from him and away from the memories. She could not handle it all at this moment.

The pain was far too much for her to bear. It had her a great deal of time to forgive Jackson for his deeds and she still doubted that she would ever truly forgive him for the role that he played in Joe's death. It was his hit man that had cruelly stolen her father's life. If…

_The what-ifs alone might kill me…_

She just needed a little space; a little time to herself. Time to think and reflect. Time had she had not been given.

"Lisa, don't do this!" Jackson was still chasing her even as she backed the car and pressed the gas pedal to head down the street.

The hurt look in his blue eyes shocked her heart. He had done so much for her and give up everything that he had known just to be with her. He had essentially forfeited his life to allow them to live together and have an impossible relationship. She knew that now. They could never be together.

"Go back to your job, Jack. Just get out of my life!" she yelled back at him, rolling down the electric window. He was running beside the car; unwilling to let her go.

Jackson stopped running as suddenly as if she had hit his heart with a bullet. He froze in the middle of the street, and his rasping voice could still reach her.

"Don't do this, Lisa…"

Salty tears stung her cheeks as her heart broke once more. She refused to look in mirrors and see him standing there. She had to forget him. She had to move forward.

_We can't be together…we're too different…_

Despite what she knew in her mind, Lisa could not help but wonder if she had just made the biggest mistake in her life by pushing him away once again.

Only time would tell…

**Author's Notes:**

Finally I have gotten around to writing this sequel. I tried to put bits of the last story in to refresh everyone's memory and so that newcomers are less confused. The fight between them is a little unrealistic, but Lisa is still emotionally unstable and edgy. She occasionally needs her time away from him still, and he respects that, but this time he's mentally kicking himself. Thanks for reading and please review! The next chapter should be up tomorrow.


	2. Chapter Two: Vanished

**One More**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything related to _Red Eye_!

**Chapter Two: Vanished**

Lisa did not stop driving until she had reached her apartment. Once there, she parked Jackson's car and hurried inside to gather her belongings. Rushing into the bedroom, she pulled a pair of expensive suitcases (a gift from Jackson) from the closet and began to fill them.

"What am I doing? What am I thinking?" she groaned, midway through the packing of her belongings.

Lisa sighed and fell backwards onto the soft bed. As she stared at the textured ceiling, memories of Jackson filled her mind. Many nights when she had woken screaming from the nightmares that plagued her, Jackson had lain awake with her, comforting and reassuring her. He had never pushed her in their relationship.

_It was always the same nightmare…_

_**'Dad! Dad!' she called out loudly; rushing up the main stairs to the second floor.**_

**_'Lisa,' his voice croaked, the blood rapidly pooling around his dying body._**

_**'Daddy!'**_

_**She tried to stop the blood flow. She could not let him die!**_

**_The crimson blood drips onto her skin and seeps through her white sweater. She sobs without a thought as she glances down at his lifeless body. It should have been her lying on the floor…_**

_**A knife turns and stabs her through the heart. A slight whimper escapes her lips as pain floods her body. 'Jackson,' she whispers, the betrayal stabbing deeper than the knife as she looks into the cold, crystal blue depths of her killer's eyes.**_

_Lisa woke up screaming._

_"Leese, Leese," his patient, soothing voice broke into her head._

_Strong arms wrapped around her trembling form and Jackson pulled her tightly against his warm chest. Lisa clung to him as a drowning swimmer in the ocean might cling to a buoy to remain afloat. _

_"Ssh, you're okay. I'm here. No one can hurt you," Jackson spoke softly._

_"The blood, all that blood," she moaned; her green eyes wide._

_"I know sweetheart, I know. But it's over. It was only a nightmare. No one can hurt you when I'm around. I won't let them."_

_"Jackson…"_

_"Ssh. Go back to sleep, Leese."_

_He lay down on the bed and held her close to him. Her tremors stopped and she finally began to relax._

_"I love you," she whispered before her heavy eyelids closed and she drifted off with happier thoughts._

Her green eyes flickered closed for a single movement as she reveled in the pleasant memories. These walls held the truth of their romance. Sure, it was far from a fairy tale, but it was theirs. They truly loved each other.

Her eyes suddenly shot open at the touch of cool steel pressed into her temple. Someone was holding a gun to her head.

"Hello, Miss Reisert. If I were you, I wouldn't move. Somehow, I doubt Rippner would be pleased to come home and see your brains splattered everywhere in this clean apartment," an unfamiliar voice taunted.

"What do you want?"

_Will I ever escape this nightmare?_

"A little cooperation… Or else I will pull the trigger without a second thought."

"Who are you?" she demanded.

"That's for me to know and Rippner to guess."

"I don't respond well to threats."

"I don't give a damn. If you want to keep your life, you will listen to me. Understand?"

Before she could think of a smart reply, he jerked the barrel away from her head for a moment and squeezed the trigger. The smoking barrel returned to her head as she began to shake uncontrollably.

When Jackson had menaced her before, he had used words and his charm to manipulate her. Never before had anyone threatened bodily harm except for the man in the parking lot. Neither option had been a choice. Nowadays she knew that she would choose death over repeating the degradation.

_If it ever comes to that…_

**Author's Notes:**

Just a quick chapter. Some of the others are longer. It's probably only fair to mention that this is a fairly short story. According to my current outline and written parts, it should be no longer than five chapters. Enjoy and thanks for reading/reviewing!


	3. Chapter Three: Hunt

**One More**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything related to _Red Eye_!

**Chapter Three: Hunt**

"Lisa? Lisa!" Jackson called loudly, cupping his hands around his mouth as he entered their apartment.

Night had fallen and he had been searching for hours on foot. He had gone to all of her favorite hangouts before even attempting to look for her at their place. He knew that it was possible that she had gone elsewhere to cool down before heading home, which was why he had delayed his own return and the continuation of his search. But the appearance of his car out front had confirmed that she had come home at some point.

"Lisa, where are you?"

His crystalline eyes swept the darkened apartment as he tracked towards the bedroom.

_Why aren't you answering me? Are you ignoring me?_

He flipped on the light and paused. The usually spotless and organized bedroom was in shambles. Clothes were strewn all around the room. A bedside lamp was broken and covered in wet, half-dried blood. The normally neatly made bed was rumpled and the pillows in a disorganized disarray. The room looked as if a fight had taken place.

"Lisa?"

The bedroom told him the story of an attack. He could see gruesome images playing in his mind. Lisa had fought back—she was always a fighter.

"What have I done?" he whispered; sinking down to his knees to caress a clump of ripped-out reddish hair on the floor.

_Her assailant pressed_ _her into the bed while she kicked and struggled; rumpling the covers. When he moved to assault her, she slid up from underneath him and snatched the lamp. She swung her make-shift weapon at his head._

_Lisa then jumped up and ran for the door. He caught up to her and grabbed her by her shoulder-length curls. She screamed as a clump of hair is torn free. He covered her mouth with a hand; then muffled it with a scarf from her half-packed suitcase. He tossed her into the wall, where she cracked her head and passed out._

_He went to work binding her ankles and wrists with stolen ties. He tossed clothes around to mess up the room. He closed the suitcases and tossed them, along with the unconscious body of Lisa, into her car._

There had been many times in the past where Jackson had arranged or participated in kidnappings like this. Kidnappings that more often than not led to a messy, pre-meditated murder. He probably knew more than a crime scene investigator about how to interpret a crime. His job had required it. He had even taken courses at a community college on crime as well as watched the _CSI_ TV shows to keep up-to-date. It was more entertaining than the reality-based _Forensic Files_, which talked down to people of his intelligence.

Sometimes, people forgot that it was never smart to mess with Jackson Rippner. Years of training guided him as well as a strong gut instinct. He had been the best in the business and at the top of his game before the Keefe job. No one had beaten him or outsmarted him. No one ever could.

Now, some managerial reject was testing him; teasing him. Someone thought they could get away with stealing her.

"Who took you, Lisa? Who dared to hurt you?" he asked the silent space.

_They won't get away. I promise that. I will get you back. No one hurts you and escapes my wrath._

His cell phone rang. A quick glance at the view screen before he flipped it open confirmed that it was Lisa's cell phone calling. His heart skipped a beat as he answered the call.

_Please tell me that you've escaped, sweetheart…_

"Hello?"

"Jackson! Jackson!" Lisa's frantic voice reached him through the phone and shocked him. She was upset.

"Leese, are you okay? Where are you? Who—?"

"Hello, Rippner. Missing something?" a male voice responded and a whimper reached his ear from Lisa.

_You hurt her! How dare you! No one touches her!_

"You bastard! Let her go! If you have a problem with me, then deal with me. Don't take it out on her."

"No can do. Remember, you still owe me for the Hart job. I think she's pretty good payment. Tell me, how is she in bed?"

Jackson's anger boiled. _No speaks about her that way!_

"If you touch her, I swear—"

"You are in no position to make threats. Now, listen closely if you ever want to speak to her again."

"Just tell me what you want," snapped Jackson, disgusted at this man's audacity. When he had last known David Greer, he had been a sniveling little coward.

"I need you to make a little phone call. I know that she messed that up, but I know you won't. You care too much. That's why you are gonna do _exactly_ as I say."

"The call!"

_He's getting sidetracked already by the lure of his so-called power over me. Idiot…_

"I want you to try and find me. Put your legendary skills to use for once, Rippner. Find me and I'll tell you what I want. You have an unpaid debt. I'm collecting on it now…"

"So what are we playing? Some sick, twisted version of 'catch me if you can'?"

"Only if you want the girl back. She can pay your debt for you."

"No," Jackson said firmly. He would get Lisa back.

"It's settled then. Catch me if you can!" dared David Greer.

The phone disconnected. Jackson stared at it in his palm for a few seconds before he chucked it at the wall. The cell phone shattered upon impact, raining pieces of plastic and circuitry around the already destroyed bedroom.

_David, David, you think you can outsmart me? Boy, are you in for a surprise…_

"No one," he hissed through his clenched teeth. "No one touches her. No one hurts her."

He had made his promises. Now, he had to keep them. There was no backing down now; no turning back. Lisa's life was at stake.

_Watch your back, or you might just find my knife in it._

**Author's Notes:**

Jackson has never fully shed his darker side, as evidence in this chapter. He's still very much an unstoppable assassination manager with a temper problem. The next chapter will either be short or a split between Jackson and Lisa's POV. Chapter Five promises to be semi-long. Enjoy and thanks for reading/reviewing!


	4. Chapter Four: Trap

**One More**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything related to _Red Eye_!

**Chapter Four: Trap**

David Greer had been a lower-level gopher and done odd jobs for both managers and assassins. He had been working on becoming a manager when Jackson had been assigned to the Hart job—his last job before striking out on his own as a freelancer.

It had been a simple kidnap-murder plot ordered by the woman's husband. The husband had wanted out of his marriage and his wife would have taken him to the cleaner's in a divorce. Rather than dirty his own hands, the man had hired Jackson.

Jane Hart had been surprised in her home—the bedroom trashed in a short fight between them—and dragged away by Jackson. He had unwittingly left prints in the home, which David Greer had to cover up before the police became involved. In the meantime, Jackson had transported Jane to a warehouse rented by the company for this type of job. He had set everything up and then waited.

A phone call from Craig Hart had been the go-ahead for the murder. Jackson had personally done the deed and videotaped it for conformation as ordered by the client, Mr. Hart. Once the client was satisfied, Jackson dumped Jane's body and scrubbed the blood off his hands and burned his clothes.

Her body was never found, but his prints would have been enough to book him on suspicion of murder. A computer-check of his prints also would have drug up several false identifications—suspicious yet again, plus illegal. Some quick computer hacking by David, who had been assigned as back-up to Jackson on the Hart job, had re-routed his prints to someone else.

_That's what this is all about. He is recreating the Hart job without a mistake to show me up and he'll leave a print to tie me to the crime. I'll be arrested for Lisa's murder, as well as any other murders and crimes he chooses to link my print to. But I won't be caught until I watch her die._

_In his version, I'm Craig, Lisa is Jane, and that bastard's me._

_He thinks he's me!_

_---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

"Jackson won't fall for it. He's smarter than you!" Lisa challenged.

"Really? He's not at all smarter when it comes to you. Worrying about you is compromising his 'brilliant' mind. He is far too focused on saving you to realize what I want from him."

"You want him to do a job, don't you? That's why you are sending him on a wild-goose chase, right? You want him to kill someone."

"As a matter of fact, I do."

"He—"

"You, Miss Reisert," David said with a sly smile after cutting her off. "I want him to order your death and then watch me end your life."

"No, no! He won't do that! He would never do that!"

"Time will tell, Miss Reisert. Time will tell…"

His hand brushed her tangled curls and a chill shot up her spine. He disgusted her and she did not try to hide it. He just allowed an evil smile to cross his face as he glanced at her.

"No, no, no…" she whispered; trying to convince herself that it was just a nightmare.

_Jackson won't do it. He would never kill me. He loves me. I'm sure of it._

Lisa could only hope that he would come to her aid before it was too late. He would think of a way to break the rules of this sick game. They would be reunited. He would never let her die or order her death. The old Jackson might have done it without a second thought, by not her Jackson. He would find a way to save her.

To save them both from this madman's plot.

Jackson's days as a killer had ended the same day as the red-eye. He had promised that he was done. He _always_ kept his promises. He never lied.

_Jackson, don't let me down. I'm trusting you with my life once again._

**Author's Notes:**

Just a quick chapter. I wasn't sure about including the piece with Lisa, but the chapter was far too short without it. The next chapter will be the confrontation between Jackson, David, and Lisa as well as the ending of the story. Thanks for reading/reviewing!


	5. Chapter Five: Death

**One More**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything related to _Red Eye_!

**Chapter Five: Death**

Everything was the same as it had been three years ago when he murdered Jane Hart on her husband's orders. Night had fallen again; it was well over twenty-four hours after Lisa had been kidnapped. Jackson was trying to remain calm and cool, but his well-trained mask of a face was slipping. He was not used to dealing with emotions.

He was going against everything that he had been trained to do. He was falling into the role of protector, but the part of him—the deadly part—was emerging. The killer inside him longed to return. Part of him would secretly enjoy watching Lisa's life flow from her body upon a river of blood. Yet, he knew that he would only be dooming himself to misery if he allowed her to die.

The car came to a halt in front of the darkened warehouse. It was the same place that he had been patiently pacing the interior of three years prior, while waiting for the call. Jackson was praying that David was following the Hart job as closely as he imagined.

He pried the outer door open and cautiously entered the darkened building. His right hand rested around the handle of a sharpened knife. It was the same knife that had taken Jane's life three years ago.

Swiftly, Jackson traveled through the shadows, his blue eyes adjusting to the dark as his ears listened for the slightest sound. He waited for anything that might betray Lisa's location as he headed deeper into the deserted warehouse.

_Please let Lisa still be alive…_

"Any time now," David's voice floated to him and he caught the crack of light escaping from under a closed door. "He'll be here soon."

Sniffles followed his words. _Leese…_

Jackson turned the doorknob and entered. They were waiting for him. There was no sense in hiding from them.

"Jackson! Jackson!" Lisa cried joyfully, dashing across the room to him. Her hands were bound behind her back and dirt, blood, and tears streaked her pale face.

He gathered her into his arms and pulled her tight against his body. He bent his head down to her face. Her green eyes sparkled as his full lips pressed against hers and a hungry kiss consumed them both.

"Leese, I've missed you."

"Me too. Oh, Jackson."

He could sense the waterfall lurking behind her eyes. "I'm here now. No one will hurt you ever again," he promised, forgetting what had brought them both here.

"On the contrary," David said, stepping towards them. "You will."

"No. I won't," Jackson swore again, gritting his teeth. He placed himself in front of Lisa as a shield.

"You will order her death. Everything must go according to plan. Just say the word and she's gone. You don't belong in her world, Rippner. You were one of the best managers ever. Why throw it all away over her? Why settle for a life with just one woman?"

"Jackson, don't," Lisa pleaded, leaning her head against his back. Wet pin-pricks of tears seeped through and shocked his skin.

He spun around and took her face in his hands. He plastered a nasty look upon his face—a disgusted image. "Sorry sweetheart, but I can't change my stripes on command. You know that."

"No!" An anguished cry fell from her lips as she believed the false betrayal.

"Kill her," Jackson said bitterly before shoving her down to the rough and uneven floor. He could only hope that she would realize that he would never turn on her like that.

"Jackson! I loved you!"

"That's too damn bad."

Lisa grabbed him by the leg as he moved to walk away; the concrete having slit her flimsy bonds. He scowled down at her and aimed a kick at her stomach. She curled up in pain; gasping at the shock of his kick. He bent down and yanked her up by her knotty hair.

"Good-bye," Jackson said coldly, all earlier emotion gone. He then tossed her back down to the ground.

As his footsteps retreated, David closed in with a gleeful smile upon his face.

_Trust me, Lisa. Please, trust me once more._

_-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

_No! How could you do this to me?_

Lisa helplessly watched him step on the pieces of her shattered heart. The sudden violence had confirmed what her heart had feared—Jackson no longer cared for her; loved her. She was nothing to him.

The creep who had kidnapped her, David, was closing in. He was the predator and she was his prey.

"We're gonna have some fun, aren't we, Miss Reisert?"

Lisa waited for him. Once he bent down to whisper in her ear, she attacked, slamming her head upwards. She heard his nose break on impact. He sneezed and sprayed her with wet blood. She wiped her eyes clear on reflex and struck once more.

Lisa stuck out her leg as he stumbled backwards to stop the bleeding. He tripped and fell down. His head collided with the unforgiving floor, dazing him. She hurried to rip the gun from his holster and aimed at his head. She was not afraid to shoot him.

"Don't move or I swear I'll pull the trigger," Lisa threatened.

Blood was rapidly pooling around him and his eyes showed no sign of ever opening again. Still, she was tense and worried.

"Relax, Leese," Jackson's smooth voice drifted to her ears from behind her back.

"You!" she hissed, swinging the gun around to aim at the dark-haired ex-manager.

"I'm not going to hurt you. I promise," he said, raising his arms in mock surrender.

"Why? Why?"

"He wanted to redo the Hart job. One of _my_ jobs. A husband wanted his wife dead and it was designed to look like a kidnapping gone wrong. I left a print and he had to cover for me. He became obsessed with taking me down because I made a mistake in his eyes. Plus, my continued success irked him to no end," Jackson calmly explained.

"He was going to kill me! You left me to die!"

"I'm sorry, Leese. I was never going to leave you. I had to trick him into thinking everything was going according to plan."

"So the plan was to hurt me? You _hurt_ me, Jackson! You betrayed me! It's too late for apologies!" she spat.

"Then what do you propose we do, Lisa? I'm not going to let you go."

"What?"

Jackson closed the gap between them and pulled the gun from her grip. "I don't want to lose you, Lisa. Do you know how much easier it would have been for me to call him and order your death? Instead, I came back for you. I care about you, Leese."

"I—" Lisa's speech was cut off as his lips attacked hers. He pulled her in closer and she did not protest. She returned the passion and deepened the kiss.

When they broke apart, she smirked at him, instead of him smirking at her.

"Okay, you get a second chance." Try as she might, she could not find enough hate in her being to end their relationship.

Jackson smiled and wrapped an arm around her waist. "Let's get out of here."

"Agreed."

Together, they stepped over the dead body of David Greer, whose neck had broken on the concrete, even though Lisa had only though he was dazed in the confusion. There was nothing standing between them any more.

They had passed the test of trust with flying colors. Their sordid past made them press for a brighter future.

Jackson would always be a killer and they both knew it. People would be after him, but he would keep her safe. He was a protector—even if his methods were slightly unorthadox at times—and far better than any ordinary watch dog. His guard had been down, but now, no one would ever hurt her again.

They would be safe to have a life together. They would face challenges along their chosen path, but trust would hold them together and help them along.

The future was looking up.

**Author's Notes:**

Strange ending, but I was trying to keep to the truth of their characters. They are stronger together than apart, and even though it doesn't show it, they do trust each other, otherwise Lisa would have shot him on sight. She trusted him enough to hear him out. This story is finished though! Thanks for reading/reviewing!


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